Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Donald C. Balfour Award for Meritorious Research

Presented annually, the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association Donald C. Balfour Alumni Award for Meritorious Research recognizes outstanding research by a Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education resident or fellow whose primary training is in a clinical field.

Ideally, nominated research will involve the translation of basic scientific findings into clinical practice at the patient and population levels. This can be novel hypothesis-driven research, clinical (patient-oriented) research or basic science research. Recipients receive an award of $2,000 and a certificate of accomplishment from the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association.

Selection criteria

The nominee must be a Mayo Clinic resident or fellow who currently holds a clinical appointment — or has completed an appointment within the past year — in medical and laboratory specialties, surgery and surgical specialties, or internal medicine and medical specialties. It is preferred that the research or phase of research considered for an award should be completed prior to nomination. Specific criteria considered include:

• Originality and significance of the research
• Strength of letters of reference
• Number of original publications as first or second author resulting from the nominated research (manuscripts published before Mayo training will not be considered)
• Number of research or other academic awards
• Initiative and independent work by the nominee in accomplishing the research
• Final publication of the research or completion of a thesis for a graduate degree are not prerequisites for consideration for the award

A selection committee of scientists from Mayo Clinic and the Mayo Clinic Alumni Association make the final determination.

Nominate

Members of the Mayo Clinic faculty should submit the following to make a nomination:

• A completed nomination form
• A letter of nomination describing in detail how the nominee meets the award criteria
• 1-2 page summary from nominee describing their greatest research contributions and why
• The nominee’s curriculum vitae and bibliography
• Letters of recommendation (three required, no additional letters accepted)
• Nomination deadline: December 20, 2024

Recipients

Year	Recipient	Year	Recipient
2025	Nominations close Dec. 20, 2024.	2024	Jwan Naser, M.B.B.S.
2023	Jacob Orme, M.D., Ph.D.	2022	Amrit K. Kamboj, M.D.
2021	John R. Giudicessi, M.D., Ph.D.	2020	Christopher Graffeo, M.D.
2019	Alberto Rubio Tapia, M.D.	2018	Yogesh Reddy, M.D.
2017	Johnathon M. Aho, M.D.	2016	Wisit Cheungpasitporn, M.D.
2015	Robert J. McDonald, M.D., Ph.D.	2014	Arthur Beyder, M.D., Ph.D.
2013	Sahil Khanna, M.B.B.S.	2012	Rodolfo Savica, M.D.
2011	Jonathan N. Johnson, M.D.	2010	Howard Masuoka, M.D., Ph.D.
2009	Mark J. Truty, M.D.	2008	Ondrej Lisy, M.D., Ph.D.
2007	T. Jared Bunch, M.D.	2006	R. Houston Thompson, M.D.
2005	David Dingli, M.D., Ph.D.	2004	Sean C. Dowdy, M.D.
2003	Ruben A. Mesa, M.D.	2002	Horng H. Chen, M.D., and Nicholas Vlahakis, M.D.
2001	Birgit Kantor, M.D.	2000	Michael J. Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D.
1999	David Cable, M.D.	1998	Peter A. Brady, M.B., Ch.B., M.D., and Konstantinos N. Lazaridis, M.D.
1997	Tracy Stevens, M.D.	1996	Tushar C. Patel, M.D.
1995	Stuart Robert, M.D.	1994	Amir Lerman, M.D.
1993	Kenneth Margulies, M.D.	1992	Armin Heufelder, M.D., and Mark Perella, M.D.
1991	Margaret M. Redfield, M.D., and Michael J. Joyner, M.D.	1990	Ulrich Specks, M.D.
1989	Brooks S. Edwards, M.D.	1988	David O. Warner, M.D.
1987	Shigenobu Kanba, M.D.	1986	Terrence D. Lagerlund, M.D.
1985	Mark S. Allen, M.D.	1984	Mark R. Pittelkow, M.D., and Roger Tuck, M.D.
1983	James Morgan, M.D.	1982	Kristin Leiferman, M.D.
1981	John C. Burnett Jr., M.D.	1980	Gregory Mathew, M.D.